Family Reunions
by SnapesMistress2002
Summary: snape and hermione find out something that they have in common. Last Chapter Posted.
1. Default Chapter

~~*I do not own HP or anything associated with HP in anyway. I only have fun with imagination and my trusty Compaq lappy. Snape rocks and I hope you enjoy my story*~~

Chapter 1

Detention

"Severus, do your Father and I a favor and watch the baby? We'll be gone for a few day's, you aren't doing anything right?"

"NO! Mother, I'm terrible with kids, that's the reason why I came here, to get away from children."

"Severus, please. It's just an baby, she' won't be any burden to you. Be sure to feed her every few hours, the food is in the pantry, nook it for a few seconds and you'll be fine." Severus jumped in when his mother took a breath.

"No, mom, I can't take care of a baby, I never have and I probably would--"

"Thank-you sweetie." Before Snape could say anything else, his mother and Father had apparated out of the kitchen. 

"You owe me!" He screamed. He walked over to the baby's crib and starred at the baby. His sister had the baby almost a year ago, but dropped it off at "Grandma and Pop-Pop's" house. The baby looked so innocent, so pure. Severus put a hand inside the crib and softly touched the baby on the face. He was surprised at how soft and warm it was. He couldn't help but smile as the baby put a small hand around Severus's fingers. Then the noise started. The small whimpering sound that came out of the baby seemed to grow every second it went on. Severus started loosing his smile and concentrated on the infant. "Shhhhhhhh, please, be quiet." He coaxed in a soft voice. The baby's face tightened up into a little ball of wrinkles and tears.

"No, please…don't….shhhhh…..oh." Severus remembered the food in the pantry. Maybe that would help. He picked the little baby up in his arms and went into the kitchen. The baby had muffled it's sobbs, but you could still hear them. Quickly he fixed the baby solution and got it in the bottle. The baby opened her eyes as she drank the milk and looked up at Severus. He was shocked to see that her eyes were brown, weren't babies supposed to have blue eyes? Once their eyes met, the baby threw the bottle aside and let out a laugh that warmed up the room. He put the baby back in her crib when she finished drinking. He hated the kids in his classes, but didn't mind this child so much. She was small, warm and loving. This was the first time he actually got to see his niece. The family never even sent him a picture, or told him about it until a few weeks ago. He was actually beginning to like this new addition. 

**********************************************************************************

Snape had enjoyed his stay at his parents house. He mainly spent it alone, enjoying the peace and quietness that he rarely got to experience at Hogwarts. Especially when school came around and he had made a new friend. 

The news came two weeks after school started. It came by an owl, a dark owl that looked like it went through Hell to get there. It's feathers were all scorched and it's color was a sickening black. It carried a very small piece of parchment that, when opened, looked like it was ripped out of a book. Snape tried to read what was scribbled on it, all he could make out was the words: Sister, Brother-in-law, dead, death eaters, baby and adopted. Nothing was ever heard from his relatives again. 

**********************************************************************************

Fifteen Years Later

He watched his potion class as he did every day. Giving the occasional stare at his Gryffindor students, especially the three that usually found a spot together. Harry, Ron and Hermione were his usual 'trouble makers' and they gave him headaches every class. This time, Hermione had started to pick a fight on the wrong day with the Slytherns. 

"Detention! Hermione, seven thirty, right here." Snape ordered before throwing himself back into his chair and rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Class dismissed." He said, eyes closed. He didn't have to repeat himself, the class had already emptied by the time he finished his sentence. If he wasn't in so much pain, he probably could have gone the whole class without much hesitation. The thing that bothered him most was that his mark on his arm was hurting. 

"Great, just great!" Hermione yelled in the Gryffindor common room. She flung herself down on one of the couches, put her feet up on Harry's legs and threw an arm over her eyes.

"You're over exaggerating, Hermione. You have to learn that one detention isn't the end of the world." Harry said, looking at the feet that was sitting on his lap. He didn't ask for those to be there, he didn't want them there, but he let them stay there. If Harry touched them, he knew what Hermione was capable of and didn't feel like getting bruised at the moment. 

"You don't understand! I can't have another one. Mum and Dad are annoyed enough as it is and I certainly don't want to hang out with Snape after the way he's been today."

"Maybe he's cooled down, he let class go awful early, I don't think we were even in there for more than forty-five minuets." Hermione glared at Ron who was sitting in a chair in front of the fireplace. 

"Just a suggestion." He finished.

"Ron's right Hermione. He's never stayed that way for this long." Harry said, fighting the urge to steal a shoe from Hermione and tickle her foot to get it off his lap. He started to move for it, but Hermione moved. She looked at Harry.

"Don't even think about it." Harry just smiled and settled back in his seat. 

Snape looked at his watch. It was unlike Hermione to be late. He was wondering what type of punishment to use this time. He wrenched in pain, his mark was hurting more every minute. He tried to stand up to get the pain potion, but he seemed to be pinned to his chair. When he finally stood up, he fell over in pain. Unable to scream or move or anything. 

Hermione knocked on the door to the classroom. It was locked otherwise she would have just went in. 

"Professor Snape?" She screamed through the thick wooden door. 

"It's me, sorry I was late, let me in." She waited for an answer, but didn't hear anything. She sighed, contemplating on turning back when she knew it probably wasn't a good idea to ditch detention at the moment. She got her wand out and lifted it up to the door handle.

"Alohomora" She said and the door opened. 

"Professor Snape? Are you here?" Hermione walked around the room. Something didn't seem right, there was a chill in the room that didn't seem right. She'd never felt it before, and the dungeon was usually cold already. 

"Professor?" She walked to behind his desk and jumped. She noticed the Professor had fallen onto the floor and was unconscious. Suddenly a sharp pain in her legs made her fall down. She didn't remember much after that, but she did remember seeing a dark green mist surround them, before she blacked out.


	2. 2

*Ditto on what I said before.*

The next morning at breakfast, Harry and Ron noticed something was not quite right. Hermione had never come back from serving detention with Professor Snape. Even more curious was Snape wasn't at the teacher's table either. Everyone was seated at their tables, yet the food wasn't there. Everyone turned toward the teacher's table when Professor Dumbledor started talking.

"Attention. Everyone, please, may I have your attention? I am afraid we have a problem. Last night Professor Snape and Hermione Granger have disappeared from Hogwarts grounds."

"Way to go Snape!" Draco yelled quietly to the people around him. Dumbledor shot a warning look their way and Draco shrunk back into his seat. 

"From what it looks like, Death-Eaters have found their way into the school and taken them while their guard was down. It has been taken into consideration that every student will stay in their rooms while a thorough check is done to make sure the death eaters are out. Prefects, if you will lead you're houses back to their rooms after dinner and make sure everyone stays in the rooms." Dumbledor looked at Harry and Ron as he said that. They couldn't help but smile. Everyone knew that they weren't about to let Hermione suffer in the wrath of Death-Eaters, especially with Snape. 

"What are we going to do?" Ron whispered to Harry as they made their way back to the rooms. 

"I don't know. We'll think of something." 

"You haven't answered my calls." A deep scratchy voice ringed through out the cement room they were in. Hermione slowly opened her eyes and shook from the bright light that invaded her eyes when she fully opened them. She looked around the room and she saw Snape, sitting down on the ground, resting his back on the wall. His knees were bent and he had his arms on his knees, with his head on his arms. 

"I know." Was the only thing heard from Snape. He seemed out of it, like he just woke up. Slowly his head came up and rested on the wall he was leaning on.

"Why haven't you answered them?" The voice sounded again.

"I've been busy. People have been around, I don't want them seeing me talk to you."

"You're ashamed?"

"No, I'm just protecting my job and--"

"And you failed to complete your orders!" Voldermort's voice boomed, Hermione's head hurt, but she didn't want to move incase she startled someone. 

"I asked Harry to be killed Three years ago, and you didn't even make an effort to kill him. I asked you to help me get his parents and you didn't make any effort to help. Sometimes I even wonder how I made you a Death Eater."

Hermione looked at Snape, 'he was supposed to kill Harry, and his parents?' She thought. All of a sudden, Snape looked up at Hermione and mouthed 'are you alright?' to her. She nodded, feeling the tension. 

"You know your family has been dead for sometime now, right?"

"Yes, sir." 

"But, there is still a living relative that was too young at the time to remember all of this, is that right?"

"Yes, sir."

"I'll have you know that if Potter isn't dead by the end of this year, I'll seek that relative of yours out and kill it myself!"

Snape jumped at this. Hermione saw the face turn the tightest it's ever been. Suddenly a sharp pain happened in her back that made her close her eyes. When she opened them, she found herself in the dungeon, and Snape standing over her. 

"Ms. Granger? Wake up. Are you o.k.?" Hermione nodded, recalling what had just happened.

"I think we can call this detention off. You may leave." Hermione slowly stood up and walked to the door. She glanced back to his desk before she left and saw him sitting at his desk, writing something. He stopped and looked up, once their eyes met, Hermione quickly turned and left, closing the door behind her.


	3. 3

"Well?" Harry asked Hermione the next morning when he saw her in the halls. 

"Well, what?"

"You know what I mean…what happened yesterday. Where did you two go?" Hermione thought for a while. Should she tell Harry that Snape was ordered to kill him? No, she couldn't do that, he'd be scarred to go to Potions and would probably scream and run every time he saw Snape in the halls. On the other hand, she knew that Harry should be on his toes now, making sure that he isn't alone with Snape, just in case. 

"It was weird." Hermione paused, taking Harry's arm and pulled him into a corner so people in the hallway couldn't hear them.

"When I went down there, his door was locked, Snape wouldn't answer. When I got inside I found him passed out on the floor behind his desk and the next thing I knew I had a sharp pain in my legs."

"Uh-oh." Harry said, mouth open. Hermione got a confused expression on her face.

"Wait a minuet, where's Ron?"

"He had to go back up to the room to grab his book for Divination….go on, what happened?"

"Well, when I finally came to, Snape and I were in a room, Voldermort was talking to Snape, yet he wasn't in the room."

"Hmmm." Hermione leaned in closer.

"I found out another thing too." Harry leaned in closer.

"Yes?"

"Snape's family died a few years ago. The only living relative he has left is someone he hasn't seen for a while. He threatened to kill who ever that person is, if he wouldn't follow through with his orders."

"What are his orders?"

"I couldn't tell, I was still confused on where I was." Hermione lied. 

**********

The day went smoothly, after having to explain to Ron what happened, and make up excuses for the other students wanting to know. Until Potions that is. Everything was normal when they first arrived, then Snape came in almost in a daze. He couldn't look at Harry, or Hermione for that matter. Even when he taught, his voice didn't seem as strong and as controlling as it did before. He did seem his usual old self when Nevile made his cauldron shrink instead of his toad. When Snape had to leave the classroom for a few seconds, everyone got to talking about what happened that night. 

"So, did you have fun Hermione?" Draco whipped from across the room. She just shot a warning glance his way and went back to her potion.

"Aren't you going to tell us what happened? I know something did."

"Nothing happened that concerns you." 

"Don't lie. I know you like him." Hermione held her quill so tightly it almost broke in half. Harry and Ron looked at each other and stood up.

"Why don't you shut-up and mind your own business?" Harry yelled.

"She must have told you, tell us Harry, what happened? Draco stood up as well.

"It was the plans for your death." Ron yelled. Draco lunged toward the two boys, but was stopped by Snape that walked into the room at that point. 

"Twenty points from Gryffindor, and ten from Slytherin. Draco? Would you mind explaining yourself, or should I have to take points off for you?" Draco was speechless.

"Professor Snape, I think you've got it all wrong, they started it. Especially Potter." The whole Slytherin side nodded their heads in agreement.

"Oh is that so?" Draco nodded.

"Yes sir."

"I see." Snape said, putting Draco down and going up to the front of the classroom.

"I see that no one has finished their shrinking potion, let's put our cauldrons away then and call class over. Potter, can you stay, I want to talk with you." Harry nodded. Draco smirked and bumped into him as he left. Harry watched Draco leave. Ron and Hermione turned towards Harry.

"Harry, do you want us to stay and wait?" Ron suggested.

"No, I'll be fine. You guy's go ahead to dinner, I'll be there in a few." Ron nodded and started walking out. He noticed that Hermione wasn't budging, but instead she had this look of fear on her face.

"Hermione, you coming or not?" Ron asked, taking her arm to pull her out with him. Hermione looked from Harry to Snape. He was sitting behind his desk. He shot Hermione a 'get out' type of look, which didn't make Hermione feel anymore safer. 

"I'll be fine, Hermy. You can leave." She shuttered and slapped his arm.

"Haven't I told you before not to call me that?!? I swear, if I wasn't so nice…" Her voice trailed off as she left with a smile. She wasn't so sure to leave the two alone, she wanted to tell Ron what she had heard, that if he didn't kill Harry, his family would pay for it. When they got out of the room Hermione leaned agains the wall next to the door.

"I think I'll wait for Harry, I want to talk with him about your Christmas present, you go ahead." When Ron finally left, she took her wand in hand, ready for anything and listened. Or at least tried to, she couldn't hear much talking going on, but was afraid to look incase he saw her. 


	4. 4

Hermione didn't know how she got to her bed. The last thing she remembered, she was waiting outside Snape's classroom, waiting to help Harry incase something happened. 

"Oh no." She thought.

"Maybe something did happen, and I wasn't there, maybe Snape found me and gave me a memory potion and sent me off to bed because I did see what happened!" She tried to sit up, but there was a pain in her arm that was too great.

********************************

Harry and Ron sat in the common room, doing nothing. 

"Wanna play Wizards Chess?" Ron suggested.

"Mmm, no. I don't feel like it." Harry said.

"Oh, come on Harry. You can't be still glooming over having detention with Snape. First Hermione, now you."

"No, no, it's just that I have detention with him for three months because of what that slime ball said."

"That was pretty rotten of Draco to do that, but he's always done that and we've always paid the price--" Harry cut him off.

"Ron, please, just shut-up. I really don't feel like doing anything right now. I'm tired, I just want to lay here and relax."

"Fine, fine." Ron rolled his eyes. He was wondering why Harry had been acting like this. It could be the subject that Hermione hadn't returned with Harry. They had looked everywhere for her, which made them skip dinner because they had no idea where she went. Not more than forty-five minuets ago, they had decided to call it quits, she had to be around here, somewhere, they knew Hermione. She wouldn't have gone anywhere without telling them, or would she?

*******************************

Professor Snape sat at his desk, starring at an ant that was crawling over his papers that were placed randomly on his desk. He couldn't help but wonder, why had Voldermort apparated both Hermione and himself? Wasn't the information only supposed to be between he and Voldermort? Maybe she was touching him, maybe they were linked somehow together and that's what caused both of them to disappear. Hermione looked stunned when she first came to. He would have been to, if he'd never have seen a place like that before. Now she knew that he had been ordered to kill Harry, but Snape wasn't sure on if she had told him yet or not. Judging by that day in class, she hadn't told him, but he never knew. He knew that Hermione positioned herself out side of his classroom door just incase something happened, but nothing happened.

*Hey guy's! Sorry for the short chapter. I know what I want to write, but I have to put it down in words which will take a little longer. Should be updated soon! All idea's are welcome, throw some at me that you might like to see and I'll see if I can put them in! Thankyou to all my reviewers! 

Silent Coyote: Thank you, your review means a lot!

Tablynvan- That's a good guess, I guess we'll just have to wait and find out what happens.

Silverwolf- Thankyou

Candledot- You think so? I do too! What a coincidence!

Ginny Riddle- I don't like those match-up's either, I'll see what I can do.

Grace- Thank you

Mandy Moo- I sure will!

Joebob1379- Snape's family died 15 years after the his babysitting experience, so it wasn't really that long ago, but it wasn't a long time ago either!


	5. 5

Hermione looked at her arm. It looked fine. She didn't know why it hurt so bad, though. 'must be growing pains' she thought. She made her way out of bed. She noticed she was fully clothed, that made her even more confused than before. She stretched, looked at the clock and went down stairs. It was 8:15, Ron should be around, and so should Harry…hopefully.

She went downstairs into the common room, there, she saw Neville sitting at a table, a few books spread around. 

"Whatcha got there?" Hermione asked.

"Divination…I can't seem to get these stars right." He looked up at Hermione. She smiled right away.

"There's your problem, you added that wrong." She took his quill and turned the parchment to face her.

"If you add these correctly, change this month and the placement of this planet, then here's where that star goes, then that one goes here…this one…hmmmm…wait, no, this one goes here, and that one goes there." Hermione put the quill back down on the table and nodded.

"Oooh., I see, Thanks, Hermione."

"Anytime, um…have you seen Harry and Ron around?" She secretly crossed her fingers, hoping he said yes.

"They just left to go to the library. They were looking for you, said they haven't seen you since Potions."

Hermione nodded. 'should have known.' she thought to herself. 'that's the first place everyone looks for me…I need to get a life, geeze.'

As she walked to the library, she bumped into someone she wasn't dying to see.

"Professor Snape! I'm sorry, I didn't see you."

"Figures." He sneered.

"Can I speak with you for a moment?" He asked, looking at Hermione with curiosity. That look scarred her. She had never seen his face do that before. Hermione nodded and followed Snape to the nearest spot without students.

"I'm sure you're wondering what went on when I called Harry to speak with me after class today."

"Yes sir." Hermione nodded.

"There's no need to worry. He is alive and well." Hermione sighed.

"Let me guess, detention?" She asked…she knew what the answer was, if it wasn't that, then she wouldn't know what to think.

"I'm afraid so." Snape nodded. He saw Hermione grab her arm and rub it.

"Is everything alright?" Snape starred at her motions. She noticed what he was looking at and quickly stopped.

"Yes, everything is fine. I bumped my arm coming down the stairs, that's all." Snape didn't quite believe her, but he nodded anyway. He had to get away from the cheerfulness.

"Um…Professor Snape?"

"What is it Granger?"

"What happened last night?" Hermione looked at Snape.

"Nothing that really concerns you. I would appreciate it if you kept to your own business."

"It's just that--" Snape could see what was coming so he cut her off early.

"I'm not going to kill Potter. I can assure you that. Now I must be on my way. I have papers to grade and lessons to plan, so if you will excuse me." With those words he left. Hermione stood in awe. How was he going to not kill Harry and save his own at the same time? Voldermort was powerful enough to see what was going on.

****************************************

"Where have you been?" Ron asked as Hermione approached the table they were sitting at.

"To tell you the truth, I'm not sure." Both boy's looked at her.

"You're not sure?" Harry said. Hermione nodded

"One minuet I was waiting for you outside the doors, the next I found myself asleep in my bed." Hermione shrugged.

"Wait, why were you waiting for me? I thought I told you to go." Harry said, pushing his glasses up onto his nose. 

"Can't I wait for a friend?" Hermione wanted to tell them what she had heard that night, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. 

"Do you know how you got to your bed?" Ron asked, closing a book titled One Hundred And One Ways To Crush Wormwood.

"If I did, don't you think I'd have told you by now?" Hermione stared at Ron, her face was glowing red and she didn't notice it, but her hands were balled into fists.

"O.K. geeze woman, you don't have to be rude about it, it was just a question." Ron rolled his eyes and sighed. Harry just stared at her. Noticing what she had done, she quickly tried to loosen up and sat down at the table. 

"Sorry." She mumbled under her breath.

*****************************************

The night was cold, yet she didn't feel cold. Black figures were around her. She didn't know who they were, but she could have sworn she knew them. Something compelled her to move forward, to follow all the black figures. As she went deeper and deeper into the forest, she heard the same voice she heard that night she had detention with Snape, only this time it was far away.

"Bring me the boy…Bring him to me" It was saying. Hermione wanted to stop and turn around, but she couldn't. There was this force that was dragging her, pulling her forward. Deeper and deeper into the woods. She tried to struggle, she tried to turn around, but was whipped fully around each time she tried. She tried to stop walking and only found herself tripping when she did. She tried to speak…She could not. Suddenly the ground started to shake. She looked around herself and saw the black figures going among their business, then she noticed the ground wasn't shaking it was her.

"Hermione." The raspy voice said. 

"Hermione." It kept repeating itself over and over again, suddenly she found her voice, closed her eyes and started screaming. She found herself shaking more violently and being tapped lightly on the face. She opened her eyes and saw she wasn't in the forest, but in the Gryffindor common room. She wasn't shaking, but Ron was. He was standing over her, Harry peeking out from behind his shoulder.

"You were asleep then you started dreaming." Harry said.

"Well duh, I think I know that." Hermione said. She quickly covered her mouth with her hands and sat up.

"Oh My Gosh! I'm sorry…where did that come from?" Ron and Harry looked at each other.

"You've been acting differently lately, Hermione. What's wrong?" Ron asked, sitting next to her.

"I-I don't know." She replied, looking away from them.

"Well, something's going on." Harry said, trying to get Hermione to look at them.

"And we've decided." Ron smiled.

"We aren't going to let you go until you tell us exactly what is going on." Hermione sunk back into the sofa. Should she tell them? No, she couldn't. That's all Harry needed now was more stress on the things he already had.

"Nothing happened, why won't you guy's believe me?"

"Because we know something happened. You've never been this quiet about something before." Ron said, playfully punching her in the arm. Hermione was getting angry. She didn't like being cornered and wanted to be left alone for awhile. 

"Well, if something really important happened, I'd tell you. As of now, I don't remember anything but waking up, seeing Snape and a cement wall. Now if you excuse me, I'm going to go for a walk." Hermione stood up, pushing Harry out of the way and headed for the door. She was stopped by two pairs of hands clinging onto her arms.

"What else happened. Don't lie to us, we know that's not all." Harry said. Ron nodded in agreement.

"Buzz off and mind your own business!" Hermione screamed. Ron and Harry let go and watched Hermione sneak out of the portrait hole.

"Do you think we should tell her it's past hours?" Harry asked.

"No. Not if she's going to act like that towards us." Ron turned around.

"I'm going to bed, Harry."

"Nite." Harry said and continued staring at the door. Why was she acting like this? This was the first time in his life he'd seen her be violent in any way.

******************************************

Hermione walked the halls. She noticed it was past hours, but didn't really care. Dumbledore would understand. He always understood when he found Harry out and about after hours. She wanted to cry, to scream, to tear something apart, but she didn't know what. The pain in her arm started up again. She held onto it…it definitely wasn't a growing pain. Maybe it was broken…yeah, that had to be it. She had cracked it….landing on it, Hermione decided. All of a sudden, she started to get dizzy. She grabbed onto the wall nearest her and concentrated on her breathing. The room started going dark, she didn't know what was going on. She wished Ron and Harry were there right now. Then it happened, she blacked out and collapsed on the floor.

****************************************

Snape followed Hermione through the halls. Something told him not to stop her right away, to let her walk for a little bit. He could sense something wasn't right. She was holding her arm again. It looked painful and he wondered why it was hurting. He watched her grab onto the wall, he watched her slowly lean forward, he watched her as she collapsed onto the floor.

"Good Merlin!" He thought to himself. 

"Why does it have to be me…every time! Me!" He rushed to Hermione's side and lifted her head. Nothing seemed to be broken, but what he saw made him gasp and almost choke.


	6. 6

Albus Dumbledore walked up to Snape. He looked at him, then at Hermione who was passed out on the ground. 

"Severus." Albus said. Snape looked up.

"What happened?" Snape stood up, he took a deep breath.

"She just went down. That's all I saw." Albus nodded.

"Did she say anything?"

"No, sir. Today when I was talking with her, she was holding her arm like she was in pain. She said it was nothing, but she was holding her arm when she went down just now."

"Hmmmm."

"And there's more…Look at this." Albus's mouth opened when he saw it.

"Oh my."

**************************************

She couldn't make out what he was saying. The only thing she knew was to say yes after every break the voice took. She looked to her left and saw the dark figures again. To her right, even more of them. Her feet were very tired, she wanted to sit down, but couldn't, two dark figures were restraining her from moving. She noticed something new, though. The voice was just no longer a voice. The voice had a body. It was tall and thin. She couldn't see any distinctive marks, but she knew the voice. She heard it before, twice. She jumped when the figure reached out and touched her on her arm. It was a cooling pain. She closed her eyes, wondering when it was going to be over, as the pain was slowly beginning to burn.

************************************

Hermione's eyes started to flutter open. Snape and Albus, along with Madame Pomfrey stood over her. 

"Hermione? Are you o.k.? Can you hear us?" Madame Pomfrey asked. Hermione reached up to touch her head, she had a small headache. She nodded. Albus went over to Hermione and touched her arm.

"How is your arm?" Hermione was afraid to look. 

"It hurts." She squeaked. Albus nodded. A concerned look was on his face and after turning to talk with Madame Pomfrey, he turned to Snape who was looking at Hermione with curiosity. 

"Severus, I think it is wise we leave you two to speak alone. I'll be in my office if you need to talk with me." Snape nodded as the two left. He kept his back at Hermione for a while, but slowly turned around.

"Where to start." Snape said. Hermione sat up. Her arm still hurt, but she was afraid to look at it.

"What do you remember before this happened."

"N-nothing, sir."

"Absolutely nothing? You don't have any memories at all? What all did you hear when you had detention?"

"I heard that you had been ordered to kill Harry or Voldermort will kill your relative." Snape nodded.

"What else?"

"There's nothing else."

"Don't lie to me Granger. I know you have visions, I had them too right after."

"Right after what?"

"Look at your arm Granger!" Snape snapped.

"No." 

"Look at it!" Snape went up to Hermione and grabbed her arm and held it out. Reluctantly she looked down and saw it…the dark mark.

"NNNNNOOOOO!!!" she screamed and threw herself down on the couch. Snape was stunned. He hesitated before putting a hand out to rub her back.


	7. 7

"Where the h e double hockey sticks is Hermione?" Harry exclaimed at the breakfast table. Ron jumped at hearing Harry scream like that. Once again, Hermione had disappeared without any say of where she was going.

"How am I supposed to know? She never tells us anything anymore." Ron picked at his eggs. 

"Hasn't you're mother told you NOT to play with your food Mr. Weasley?" A voice startled him from behind. He turned around to look Professor Snape in the eye.

"Good morning Weasley, Potter." The boys didn't do anything but sit there.

"Ms. Granger told me to tell you two she'll be fine, she got a little sick and came to me to fix a potion for her. She'll be fine later today."

"Why didn't she go to the hospital wing?" Harry asked, studding Snape's face. Snape narrowed his eyes at this.

"She didn't make it there. I do believe that's where she was headed." Ron and Harry just nodded. 

"Where is she, then?" Ron added.

"She's asleep, resting fine. There's no need to worry." Snape looked both of them over once more before he made his way up to his place at the teachers table. 

"What do you think really happened?" Ron whispered, leaning over the table to Harry. He shrugged and stared back at Snape. 

****************************************

Hermione woke up, she didn't know where she was. She tried to remember how she got there, but she couldn't remember. Judging by the looks of it, she was somewhere in the dungeon. She sat up, put her shoes on and walked to the door. Suddenly she knew where she was, in the Slytherin corridors and she didn't like the looks she got from the other Slytherin's as she walked out of the room. 

She made her way through the halls up to her room without anyone noticing. She was happy no one did because she didn't want to explain to any of her room mates where she had been. She remembered talking with Professor Snape, but she didn't remember what. She got her toothbrush, shampoo and anything else she needed and headed off to the bathrooms to get ready.

After she was ready she went down to the common room. There, Harry and Ron were begging her to tell them where she had been. Hermione started to get annoyed again.

"Where were you?" Ron asked.

"I went for a walk, I guess I blacked out at one point."

"Blacked out?! Snape said you were sick." Harry pointed out.

"To tell you the truth, I wasn't feeling good." Hermione shook Harry and Ron off of her and sat down in a chair closest to the fireplace.

"Why didn't you go to the hospital wing?" Harry questioned, sitting in the chair across from her.

"I didn't know where I was headed, I just wanted to be alone."

"You could have told us that in the first place." Ron said, acting hurt.

"I tried, but you two wouldn't leave me alone!" Hermione raised her voice a little. She wasn't feeling as great as she did before. Harry and Ron were making her mad about not letting her be in peace for a while. Her arm was beginning to hurt again.

"Well next time just say: 'guy's…I need to be left alone for fifteen minuets.'" Ron said, trying to imitate Hermione's voice the best he could. Hermione gave a mad stare toward him. He ignored to look and looked at Harry. Harry shook his head as a warning to lay off.

"Listen, Hermione, we're just trying to be good friends. You can talk to us about whatever you want, you know that. Just next time let us know if you're not feeling well. We'll leave you alone. Simple as that." Hermione ignored Harry and stared at the floor into space. Harry and Ron shrugged.

"Oh, FYI. We have potions in fifteen minuets." Harry said before leaving to go to class. Hermione sighed. That's the last thing she wanted right now. Class, especially with the Slytherin body. Hermione thought she saw Draco in the furthest corner when she came out of the room that afternoon. 


	8. 8

Hermione took in a deep breath before entering the class. She was running late, but at this point in time, she didn't really care. She walked in and took a seat in the back of the classroom. Snape looked up, but didn't say anything. He just nodded. Ron and Harry turned to see her walk in, but were shocked when she didn't sit by them. Here they were, saving a seat for her, hoping to talk more with her and she didn't even acknowledge their offer.

"Wow, something must be wrong for her to sit in the back of the classroom." Ron noted, while writing down the ingredients they were using for their shrinking potion. Snape had them work on it again, because of the disturbance that happened last time.

"That's even weirder." Harry said, looking up at Snape.

"What?"

"Snape. He didn't even say anything when she came in late." Ron nodded. How could have he been so stupid to not notice he didn't bother taking points off Gryffindor. He glanced over to the Slytherin's side of the classroom and saw that Draco and a few others were staring at Hermione. They looked like they were shocked from Snape's reaction. He glanced back at Hermione and she looked like she was about to cry. She just sat there, a site no one had ever seen before. She seemed deep in thought, and Ron wished he knew what was going on. He was drawn out of his wonderment by a nudge in the side. Harry looked at Ron, at Snape, then back to Ron. Snape had seen Ron twist all the way around in his chair and was shooting them a warning look. Ron lowered his head and went back to his work. The classroom seemed too quiet than it usually was. Especially since Snape wasn't acting like himself. When the bell rang, Snape dismissed the class, all except for Hermione. The class emptied out, looking at Hermione with curiosity.

"She came out of Snape's room this morning, like she spent the night or something." Draco whispered to Crabbe and Goyle as they walked passed Hermione. She just sat there. Ron and Harry, as usual, were the last to leave. They stopped by Hermione, she just looked at them.

"You want us to wait?" Hermione looked at Snape, he still had his head down, looking at his papers. She nodded.

"Yes. This shouldn't take long." They left the classroom and went into the hall, shutting the door behind them.

"Ms. Granger." Snape said softly, coming out from behind his desk and to where she was seated. She looked up at him, empathetically.

"You haven't told them yet, have you?"

"No, sir." Hermione started playing with a strand of hair.

"Has it hurt anymore?" Hermione nodded.

"Can't we reverse this? Isn't there someway to--"  
"No." Snape said sharply, but softly. 

"I need you to tell me about your visions."

"I can't remember them." Hermione put her head down. She didn't want to talk about it right now.

"I have to know. You have to tell me or I'm not going to be able to help you." Hermione looked at Snape. She was beginning to go dizzy again. Snape looked at Hermione and took a hold of her shoulder when he saw her face go pale.

"No, Granger, no. You have to stay with me, tell me what's going on."

"I'm getting dizzy." Hermione said, sliding off the chair to the floor. She felt like she was going to---it was too late, she passed out. Snape sat over her, holding onto her hand, waiting for her to come back.

***********************************

She stood there, in the presence of the tall dark figure she figured was Voldermort. He was talking to her. She didn't catch every word as she was blanking out every so often.

"Bring me the boy, bring him to me and you shall be rewarded." He hissed. All Hermione could do was nod. She didn't know how she was nodding because she was so tired and out of it, but she was nodding. 

"Good…good." Mist started swirling around them, making it harder for Hermione to see the black figure.

"Bring him to me by Midnight in five weeks time." He ordered.

"Where should I bring him." Hermione spoke. 

"Meet me at Hogsmead near old Turner street, you'll know where to find me." Hermione closed her eyes as she was thrown backwards. The fall seemed to last forever until she landed. Screaming, she opened her eyes.

"Shhhhh. Hermione! What happened?" She looked up at him, he starred back. She couldn't talk, half because she had a vision, and the other half because he called her Hermione. She quit screaming, but she wanted to cry. Snape held onto her hand and jumped when the door burst open behind them. 

"Hermione!" Harry and Ron screamed, spotting her on the floor. 

"Boy's please, be quiet. We don't need the whole community in here." Snape turned towards them. Ron and Harry stopped in their tracks.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Come help me." The boys rushed forward to help their Professor handle Hermione. Harry got one arm and put it around his shoulder, Ron, the other. Snape rushed over to his cabinet and pulled out a few bottles. Harry and Ron helped Hermione walk over to a chair.

"Oh, boy's, bring her in her. I believe she will be more comfortable." He made his way through a door in his classroom that they've never noticed before and helped her onto the couch. Harry saw a mark on Hermione's arm and quickly noticed what it was. He saw Ron spot it to and open his mouth to say something. He quickly nudged him, shaking his head. That's the last they needed right now was talk about the mark on her arm. Hermione looked sick. She was cold to the touch and her skin started to go paler and paler by the minuet.

"Professor?"

"Yes Potter?" He asked, keeping his focus on what he was mixing.

"How long has this been going on?" Harry had a lot of concern in his voice.

"A few days now. Haven't you noticed?" Ron stood there, starring at Hermione. There, on her arm, as plain as day was the dark mark. He couldn't believe it. How long had she been one?. So many questions were running through his mind at that moment that he couldn't ask.

"Move, boy." Snape ordered, pushing Ron aside and holding Hermione's head up so she could drink his concoction.


	9. 9

Hermione, Ron and Harry were walking. No reason why they were walking, they just were. It was quiet, no one really talked when they left Snape's office. Harry kept stealing glances at Hermione's arm when he could, Ron on the other hand looked really scared. He didn't walk as close as he usually did, he kept a few steps difference behind the two.

"Honestly!" Hermione finally screamed at one point, making Harry and Ron jump.

"Why must you guy's act like I have the head of an elephant?!?" Hermione stopped quickly and turned to face the two. Ron inched closer to Harry. They both had shocked looked on their faces.

"WELL?" Hermione was getting angry. 'Some friends these guy's are' she thought to herself. Harry and Ron stammered for words. Hermione gave up. She growled and threw her hands into the air and stormed off, tears forming in her eyes. 

"Hermione! Wait!" Harry yelled after her. He looked at Ron, took his arm and started running. Ron shrugged, knowing something had to be done.

************************************

Hermione ran. She didn't know where she was running, her anger prevented her from seeing anything, let alone think. Harry and Ron were her best friends. Did they not say she could talk with them about anything and they would try to help? Did they not say she should talk with them, period!? She found a sharp rock on the ground, it was then she noticed she was outside. She ran with the rock to the forbidden forest, forgetting what Dumbledore had said and sat down by a tree. She pulled her sleeve up and took the rock. She started rubbing the rock against her skin…harder and harder, she tried to scrub away the mark. The more she scrubbed, the more her skin got red and eventually started to bleed. She didn't notice, though. She just wanted it gone. She wanted to never see it again, especially on her own arm, and just concentrated on getting it off.

**********************************

Harry and Ron had almost given up. They searched everywhere, but they could not find her. They decided to go to Hagrid's hut. When they got there, they forced themselves in, hoping to see Hermione sitting on the couch, petting Fang. No sign of her.

"Wha's going on 'arry?" Hagrid was confused. He barely had a chance to welcome the boy's when they pushed themselves inside. 

"Where's 'Moine?" He asked, watched Harry flop down on the couch with lost expressions on their faces.

"We haven't been able to find her, we thought she was over here." Harry said. 

"Whoa." Ron poked Harry's arm and stood up, mouth open.

"What is it Ron?" Harry said, watching his expressions. He took off running out of the hut without telling them where he was going to. Hagrid looked out the window and saw what Ron had seen. Soon, after pointing it out to Harry, they were running after Ron.

"Hermione!" Hagrid yelled, running up to her and fighting to get the rock out of her hand.

"Stop it! Let go of me!" Hermione yelled. It was quite a struggle the four of them put up, all for getting the rock out of Hermione's hand and calming her down. After ten minuets, they had gotten to the point of Hermione shivering while crying into Hagrid's chest. Ron took off running towards the castle. 

"Where's he going?" Hagrid asked. Harry looked up from studying Hermione's arm. His face was showing pain, her arm was red and it looked bad. He saw Ron heading towards the castle.

"RON!" He screamed. When he didn't receive an answer, he looked at Hagrid. 

"Stay here, I'll be right back." Hagrid nodded and Harry took off running after Ron.

************************************

Snape was disturbed by his office door banging open.  
"What do you want?" He snarled, not looking up from his papers.

"Sir, it's Hermione." Snape looked up and saw Ron standing in the doorway, almost doubled over from being out of breath. Snape jumped up from behind his desk.

"Weasley!" He said, soon Harry joined Ron's side and looked at Snape. Harry was surprised at Snape. This was the first time he had seen a concerned look on his face.

"Well don't just stand there gawking, boy's. What happened?" Snape rushed out of the door and past the two boy's. Ron and Harry took turns explaining what happened as they ran to where Hagrid and Hermione were. 

When they arrived there, Hermione was leaning back against the tree, eyes closed and Hagrid was sitting next to her.

"Evening Severus." Hagrid nodded his head.

"Hagrid." Snape said, not even looking at him. He went straight to Hermione.

"Granger! Look at me. Open your eyes." Snape gently shook Hermione. She groaned.

"You have to look at me Ms. Granger, do you hear me?" Slowly she opened her eyes. Once she saw Snape, she quickly looked away.

"Why?" Snape asked, taking the hurt arm and studying it. 

"Why do you care?" Hermione asked. She pulled her arm back and was surprised Snape let go as easily as he did.

"Come on." He said, standing up and giving out his hand to help her up.

"Where are we going?"

"Hospital wing. Come now, get up." Snape said as calmly and as softly as he knew how.

"No." Hermione stated, trying to back up into the tree as far as she could go. Tears started forming in her eyes again.

"Don't make me make you go, Ms. Granger." Snape offered his hand again. With much hesitation, Hermione slowly made a grab for his hand. Hagrid helped her get up and Harry and Ron stood watching, helpless, at their friend, struggling not to show any sign of pain.

*Thank you for all of my reviewers! You guy's are the greatest! It's what keeps me going! What do you think about this chapter? Intense, huh? Well, keep up the reviews and tell me what you'd like to see happen. I need ideas! Snape rocks!*


	10. 10

Harry and Ron sat in the Gryffindor common room. They hadn't spoken since they got back from accompanying Snape, Hermione and Hagrid to the hospital wing.

"Why do you think Hermione joined the dark side?" Ron asked, twiddling his thumbs.

"I have no idea. She hates those people, we both know that." Harry looked up from staring at the floor. 

"What if she didn't join." Harry said suddenly.

"What? What do you mean, Harry, we saw the mark, Hermione has the dark mark on her arm!"

"I know that, but I mean, what if Hermione was forced to join?"

"What would you-know-who want with Hermione? She's a Gryffindor for Merlin's sake! She wouldn't even harm a fly." Harry nodded. Silence had taken over again. Ron sat up straight in his chair.

"Do you think Snape has something to do with this?" Ron asked.

"Snape?"

"Think about it Harry. Hermione gets detention with him, she goes and both of them disappear for a day. When she comes back, she's grumpy and not in a mood to talk with anyone. Then Snape wanted to stay at the hospital wing to talk to her alone, he rushed us out."

"You have a point there, Ron."

"Duh." Harry narrowed his eyes at Ron for that.

**********************************

Snape stood there and watched Hermione sleep. Why Voldermort had chosen her for a replacement was beyond him. He sighed and walked out of the room.

"Will you be returning?" Snape jumped at the voice. He was so caught up in his thoughts he didn't notice Madam Pomfrey standing at the doorway.   
"Yes, I am going to go back to my office to grade a few papers. I will return later." Madam Pomfrey nodded and let Professor Snape leave. 

When he sat down in his chair, something happened. He was transported back to that cement room again.

"Well Severus, now I suppose you will see how serious I am."

"I already knew how serious you were, my lord."

"You didn't seem to."

"I have a question."

"What might that be?"

"Why Hermione?" There was a pause. Snape leaned up against the wall and crossed his arms.

"Isn't it obvious? She's close to Harry and is devoted to any task given to her."

"You're asking her to kill Harry?"

"You didn't figure this out before?"

"She was trying to scrape the mark out of her skin today, my Lord."

"You don't think I knew that already? She'll do it."

"But why her? Why not another Slytherin that would be more faithful?"

"You're telling me who to get to kill Harry? Severus, Severus, Severus." There was a sigh.

"I thought you didn't want Harry killed." Snape glared. 

"I may dislike him, my lord, but I don't want any student of mine to die." There was a growl then Snape was sent soaring backwards until he felt the safety of his chair behind him. He noticed himself back in his office as fast as he went the first time. He was worried, worried that Hermione might actually try to do something. He knew better. He'd have to keep a watch on Hermione just in case. He shook his head, trying to get the thoughts out of his mind, as he went back to grading his papers.

***********************************

The next few weeks went by slowly for Hermione, Harry and Ron. They had spent much time together in the hospital wing, waiting for Hermione to be o.k. to be released. Hermione didn't talk as much as she used to, instead she softly cried. Harry always sat by her, trying to get her to talk as Ron stood by the nearest wall and listened, putting in a few words every now and then. Snape had come in and put a vanishing charm on her mark so it wouldn't be visible, unless it started to hurt again. That helped Hermione a lot. Harry and Ron spent their time when they weren't with Hermione, avoiding Snape when they could. They noticed that he was more grumpy in Potions than they've ever seen him before. The first night Hermione was allowed out of the hospital ward, Dumbledore announced, at dinner, the trip for the upper years to Hogsmeade that weekend. Harry and Ron smiled with delight. Hermione, remembering her orders she had gotten, just smiled.

"Aren't you excited, Hermione?" Harry asked, grabbing the chicken legs that were in front of him.

"Yes." Hermione already had food on her plate, but wasn't eating it. She picked at it and made a face before getting up and leaving the room without warning.

"Where's she going off to?" Ron asked, shaking his head in her direction.

"I don't know." They sat for a minuet before getting up to go follow her. As soon as they were out of the dinning hall, Harry put a hand out and stopped Ron.

"Maybe she wants to be alone." Harry said, Ron thought about it, but he took a step forward.

"I don't know Harry. She seemed kind of worried. Do you think she'll be alright?" Harry shrugged. As soon as Harry let go of Ron's arm, Ron walked down the hall. Harry stood there for a second thinking. 'I wonder what got into him. Yesterday he didn't want to be by Hermione, now he's worried?' Harry shook his head before running after Ron.

"Where do you think she'd be?" Harry asked.

"Where do you think?" 

"Library" Harry and Ron said in unison and smiled before taking off at a run for the Library. It was the one place that they both knew would cheer Hermione up.


	11. 11

*Hey guy's! Thank you for all of your reviews and ideas! Sorry this chapter is so short. I would write more but it's 3 am and I'm now beginning to get tired. I'll write more later on today if I can! Thanx again!

"Tomorrow, will you be ready?" A vision had returned. It didn't scare her as bad this time. Slowly she nodded.

"You shall answer me as My Lord, do I make myself clear?" 

"Yes, My Lord." She nodded. Deep down, she didn't want to, but something was making her do it. She held back the tears that were starting to form in her throat, afraid of what Voldermort would do if he saw her cry. The vision ended and she found herself lying in bed. She knew that she was tired, so she went to bed early. Harry and Ron weren't doing anything but playing Wizards Chess, and weren't very talkative that night. Hermione decided to get up because every time she closed her eyes, she saw things she didn't want to see. There was no where else to go, but down in the Common Room. At least Harry and Ron were somewhat pleasant to be around. She made her way down the stairs, bumping into a few people coming up that gave looks of pity and sympathy. She returned the looks with a get-lost type of look. After what seemed like ages, she reached the Common room and sat on the couch. Harry and Ron were still going at Wizards Chest.

"Who's winning?" She decided to ask. They didn't look up from their game.

"Harry, actually." Ron snarled after seeing one of his bishops being destroyed.

"Sucker." Harry whispered under his breath.

"You know what? I'm just going to forfeit this, I'm tired and we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow." Ron said, getting up and walking away from the table.

"You're just jealous that I'm finally winning a few games." Harry yelled across the room. The game board pieces were straining their heads to see what was going on. 

"I am not!" Ron said, going up the stairs. Hermione and Harry just stared at the red-faced boy until he disappeared behind his the wall. Harry looked at the game board.

"Well, guy's. We won." He said and watched as the pieces smiled and put themselves back together. He turned to Hermione and smiled.

"Hey Hermione. How are you?"

"I'm o.k." Hermione said, starring into the fire place.

"What's wrong?" Harry got up from his chair and took a seat next to Hermione.

"Noth-"

"Don't say nothing, you have that look. Tell me, what's wrong." Harry looked straight at Hermione, hoping she'd tell him.

"Nothing's tired…my arm just hurts a little, that's all." Hermione tried to look like she wasn't lying. Whether it worked or not, Harry seemed to believe it. 

"Can I ask you something?" Harry's voice was quiet. Hermione tilted her head.

"Of course." Harry drew in a breath before going any further.

"Does Snape have any part in this?"

"Snape?" Hermione started laughing.

"What? What's so funny?"

"No." Hermione said while wiping tears from her eyes. Harry couldn't help but laugh because that was the first time in a few weeks he saw her even crack a smile, let alone laugh. There was another few seconds of silence. Harry yawned and stretched.

"Well Hermione. I think I'm going to go to bed."

"Goodnight!" Hermione said, forcing another smile.

"Night." Harry touched Hermione's arm before turning and going to his dorm. Hermione sunk back into the sofa for a few seconds. She needed to get up and go for a walk. She quickly got up and got out of the room. She looked at her watch before she left. Thirty minuets until past hours started. She walked the halls, looking at the portraits and trying to remember the spells she had to memorize for Transfiguration class. Something black flashed in the hallway ahead of her. She craned her neck, wanting to know what it was. Picking up her pace, she turned the corner where she saw the black figure go, and found herself at the doorway to the Slytherin Common room.

"H-H-Hello?" Hermione managed to choke out. She noticed some movement in the far corner of the room. She walked back into the corner and turned the black figure around.

"Draco?" Hermione asked, taking a step backward.

"What are you doing out, Granger?" Draco smirked.

"I'm just taking a walk, what's it to you? What are you doing out?" Hermione looked around the room. She'd been in it before, but she never really studied it before. 

"I was..uh..taking a walk." Draco threw his head back.

"Uh-huh." Hermione said. She turned around to leave.

"Where are you going now?" Draco yelled after her.

"Why must you know everything?" Hermione stopped walking and turned around. Draco looked down, Hermione could tell he had something to say.

"Draco, please, whatever it is hurry it along, I'm getting a headache and I want to go to bed." Hermione sighed. Draco didn't say anything. He just stood there and looked at Hermione. She shrugged and left and went back to the room. Draco kinda wierded her out.


	12. 12

Hogsmeade was still the way they remembered it. They got some butter beer and settled into a booth along the back wall. Snape and the rest of the professors had settled along the bar. Snape watched Hermione, he didn't know what was going to happen that day, but his mark hurt, that meant something was going to happen and he wondered if Hermione felt the same thing. By the look on her face, it looked like she was in discomfort. 

"What's the update on Ms. Granger, Severus?" Minerva asked. 

"Severus?" Minerva asked again. She reached out and gave him a little shake when he didn't respond. He jumped a little and looked at her.

"Yes?"

"Hermione Granger…What's going on?"

"Oh, she's adjusted. I haven't heard from her for a few days." Minerva nodded and went back to talking. Snape drew his attention back to the booth, but found that they weren't there anymore.

'oh no.' Snape thought. He looked at the door and caught the glimpse of Ron's hair headed out the door. He stood up and excused himself from the table before running out the door, trying to find the trio.

*****************************************

"Where do you want to go now?" Ron asked, looking at Harry and Hermione.

"I have no idea!" Hermione shrugged and smiled as she looked at the sky. A smile formed across her lips.

"Isn't it a gorgeous day?" She said. Harry and Ron shrugged.

"I guess." Ron answered. He didn't see Harry, who had stopped, in front of him, until they bumped together. 

"Watch it." Harry laughed. Hermione had stopped, a confused look on her face. The boy's looked where Hermione's eye's were pointed. They didn't see anything.

"Hermione? What are you looking at?" Harry asked.

"Draco." Her voice seemed distant and she was almost whispering. Harry and Ron looked forward again and saw Draco standing by a building, looking their direction.

"So, he's starring at us…doesn't he usually glare at us anyway?" Hermione started to walk toward Draco. Harry and Ron stood on the corner, mouths open as she continued on and talked with him. 

"Draco." Hermione said, walking up to Draco. He seemed scarred, he was trying to back into the brick wall he had placed him self on.

"What is it Granger?" He tried to look away, but couldn't.

"What's going on?" Hermione stopped a few feet from him. He eased up a little bit, but, didn't leave the safety of the wall.

"What do you mean?"

"You were starring at us, just a few minuets ago."

"I-I was not! I was trying to read that sign over there." Hermione turned around and looked.

"There's no sign, Draco." Hermione put her hands on her hips and turned her head to the side. Suddenly, both of them screamed out in pain. Hermione, still holding her arm saw Draco mirroring her image.

"Don't mock me." Hermione ordered.

"That's the problem." Draco's face was contorted into pain.

"What?" Hermione said, standing up straight. Draco let go of his arm, but winced in pain every few seconds.

"Answer me Draco!" Hermione ordered. Draco looked up at Hermione and took in a breath to say something. He quickly closed his mouth and walked around the corner into an alley way. Hermione followed. When Draco made sure no one was around, he pulled up his sleeve. Hermione gasped when she saw the mark identical to the one on her arm.

"Oh my…" Hermione said. She took a step back as another wave of pain struck her arm. She looked at Draco, he was almost doubled over. When the wave finished, they both stood up. Hermione was still confused at what she saw.

"When?" She asked.

"About two and a half months ago. I-I tried talking with someone, but I didn't want anyone to know." Draco looked at Hermione. Hermione didn't understand.

"Aren't you excited about that? You don't seem so happy."

"Actually, no. Before I had it, I couldn't wait to get it. Now that I have it, and have seen the things that go on, I'm…I…" his voice trailed off as he looked at his arm and started rubbing the mark.

"Speak no more. I didn't want it before, and I definitely don't want it now." Hermione turned toward the opening of the alley way. She saw Harry and Ron talking and looking around the area.

"Does Snape know?" Hermione gave a sigh and turned back to Draco.

"No." Draco shook his head.

"I am scarred to tell him." Draco's voice went uncomfortably quiet.

"Why? You mean to tell me that you've been hiding it this long?" Draco nodded his head.

"I guess I…I mean I didn't…Well…" Hermione looked at Harry and Ron and saw that they were headed toward their hiding spot..

"Listen, Draco. You shouldn't be ashamed on your mark, you should take it as an honor, as the rest of your family are initiated already." Draco nodded.

"Easier said than done." 

"Listen, Harry and Ron are headed over here. Unless you want them to know, I better go now. You have nothing to worry about." Hermione started walking to the street when Draco stopped her.

"Hermione?" Draco said.

"Yes?" There was a slight pause.

"Thank you." He blushed. Hermione hid her smile and nodded.

"No problem." She said before exiting.

************************************

It took a lot of prompting to get Harry and Ron to believe that Hermione had talked with Draco about how rude she thought starring was.

"What's down here?" Hermione asked, looking down a street that looked disserted and lonely. 

"I don't know. I'm not sure I even notice that street here before." Ron said, peering down it with wondering eyes.

"I'm not getting a good feeling about this, Hermione." Harry said, turning to walk back down the street. 'Of course.' Hermione thought. 'He's not as dumb as he looks…note to self.' Hermione sighed and decided to follow Ron and Harry. She did have time anyway, and didn't want to be too early. They walked down the street until they were stopped by Professor Snape. Harry and Ron shied away.

"Ms. Granger, can I have a word with you?" Snape looked at Hermione than sharply at Harry and Ron, making them shrink back even more. Hermione nodded and turned to the two boys.

"Meet me back here." She said and left with Snape.

"Hermione, I need to talk to you about something very important."

"What's that?" Hermione asked, following Snape into a store. Inside were all different types of toys. Half of which she didn't know what they did.

"You never told me about your visions." He turned toward Hermione who was admiring a mirror that every time she looked into it, her reflection made different faces at her. She slowly put it back and turned towards Snape. 

"I need to know." He pressed on. Hermione kept her mouth shut.

"Please, Hermione. I have become concerned with the matter that Voldermort has given you certain orders." He turned around and walked to the back of the store. Hermione sighed and followed him.

"If you know, why are you asking me to explain my visions to you?"

"You have no idea how important this is, do you?" He sneered. Snape pushed the wall and it opened to a small pathway that lead down a dark hallway. They both stepped inside and he closed the wall. He stopped and turned to Hermione. 

"You must keep in mind, Ms. Granger that both of our lives, along with Harry's and my niece, which he threatened to kill are in danger!"

"You're niece?" Hermione squeaked. Snape lowered his voice, noticing how he startled the little thing.

"Yes, my niece…I need you to understand that--" His speech was interrupted by Hermione's scream. She had grabbed her arm again and took off running out of the store after fighting with the wall to get it open. Snape started to chase after her, but something worse came after. He sighed a heavy sigh and took off running in the other direction.


	13. 13

Hermione found the darkest alley way she could find and sat down. She didn't know why this was happening to her. She understood she had the mark, she accepted the fact she had the mark, but she didn't know why it was her that had the mark. She wanted Snape to follow her and tell her it was going to be o.k. She wanted him to tell her that they had found a way to erase the mark and the memories from her. She expected to see him walking patiently behind her when she sat down, but was kind of let down when he wasn't. She wondered why. 'Maybe he had a drink date set up with the rest of the faculty.' she thought. She nodded, pleased with her answer and concentrated on her breathing. After calming down, Hermione met up with the boys and eventually talked them into taking a walk down Old Turner Road. The further down she got, the more they talked about nothing; what went on in the past week, what happened while Hermione was in the hospital wing and such. The further down she got, the more the pit of her stomach raised into her throat. She hesitated for a minuet before taking a quick left and dashing off into the woods.

"Where do you think you're going?!?" Ron yelled, stopping dead in his tracks and turning to the area where Hermione ran off into. The place was covered in rotting trees. It looked dark and damp and he didn't even want to go in it. If it wasn't for Harry's sigh and tugging to keep up with Hermione, he probably would have gone against the law and apparated himself right then and there.

"Hermione?!?" Harry yelled.

"Where are you?" They heard a small laugh and they followed the sound. 

"Hermione, this isn't funny. Come out…please?" Ron asked, barely above a whisper. They took another few steps and saw some bushes rattling, which made them stop and study them. 

"BOO!!" Hermione jumped out of the bushes and started rolling on the ground howling with laughing. Her pounce had made Ron fall backwards, and Harry's glasses to fall off of his nose. 

"That was so funny." Hermione said in between giggles. Ron and Harry glared at her.

"Wow…look at this place." She said after her laughing fit stopped and looked around. Inside the mass of trees, they found it was even more disturbing than it looked outside. The ground was a grey-ish black that looked like a forest fire had run through there two days ago. They couldn't see the sky, only the branches and branches of leafless trees. The air smelt like sulfur and rotten eggs. Hermione leaned up against a tree. A small headache had started, and she heard a small, quiet blurry voice.

"It's time." It hissed and Hermione shuddered.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked. Hermione had tears forming in her eyes as she looked into his.

"Run, Harry…get out of here." She whispered. Harry's eyes went wide as there was a sudden change of temperature. The air got mysteriously cold and he started walking backwards. Hermione slumped down the tree and sat on the ground. She grabbed her head. At the same moment Harry put a hand up to his forehead. 

"Ouch." He quietly cursed.

"Harry?" Ron asked, also stepping backwards.

"My scar, it's hur-" He was cut off by a black figure swooshing by him and stood by Hermione. Harry fell on the ground in pain. The black figure started laughing, softly at first, but it grew into a huge howl. Ron ducked behind the nearest tree, unnoticed and peered around the safety of his hiding spot. He rolled his eyes. It never failed, they couldn't get away from him, and now they were in trouble and no one was around to help. Ron gripped his wand tightly at his side, ready to strike when needed, but was startled when another black figure grabbed him from behind and took him off. As he was being dragged he saw more black figures surrounding Harry and Hermione, he started struggling, kicking, anything he could do to free himself, but the figure wasn't letting go, it was still dragging him back, further and further away from his friends that needed him about now.

********************************************

"Job well done, Granger. I'm proud of you. At least I have found a faithful replacement." Harry turned over and saw Voldermort, looking down at Hermione. Harry noticed Hermione was trying to hold back from crying and surprisingly was winning.

"Mr. Potter, your time has come." Harry sat up as best as he could and grabbed for his wand.

"Looking for this?" Voldermort said, dangling Harry's wand from his fingertips. Harry's face contorted into anger and Voldermort laughed.

"Finally I have the chance I've waited for to get rid of you." Hermione started to stand up. Voldermort turned around and used Harry's wand to raise her up onto the tree. When he turned around, Hermione stayed there, stuck five feet above the ground, a look of fright-ment on her face. 

"Oh, and just to be safe." Voldermort said and held his hand out. Hermione's wand flew from her robe pocket into his hands. Harry looked at Hermione's face. He saw Hermione had started crying and when she caught his glare, she mouthed 'I'm sorry' to him. Harry looked at Voldermort, who now held Harry's wand at him.

"Any last words?" Voldermort asked, starring at the scarred, trembling mess on the ground.

**************************************

Ron quit struggling, he had worn himself out and they were away from the rest of the crowd, which he couldn't understand. Something wasn't right, wouldn't he have been dragged along with the other figures?

"Let go of me!" Ron yelled. Surprisingly, the figure let go of him. He turned around and lost his breath to what he saw. He was starring into the face of a Death Eater. 

"AAAAHHHHH!!!!" Ron started screaming before a hand was clamped over his mouth.

"Mr. Weasley, please be quiet before you draw attention to us." The Death Eater said. Ron abruptly stopped, noticing something was familiar about his voice. He was startled when the hand left his mouth and went up to remove his mask. Ron braced himself for what he was to see. The mask was off and Ron choked on the next breath of air that he sucked in.

"Professor Snape?!?" He exclaimed. Snape allowed a small smile to creep it's way across his mouth.

"Very right, Mr. Weasley. Now, if you'd be so kind and generous as to tell me what is going on?" Snape looked over Ron's shoulder. They were out of ear-shot, but still close enough to see a black growth in the clearing of some trees.

"To be completely honest, I don't know. They just showed up, then Harry fell down, then you-and I-" Snape nodded, he put a hand on Ron's arm and he stopped talking.

"Listen, boy. Stay here, if anything happens, please do what ever you can." Ron nodded and watched his professor sneak up to the group. He drew his knees into his chest and waited, anxiously.

***********************************

"Don't do it." A voice rose over the cheers of the Death Eaters, and Voldermort's scratchy laugh. Voldermort put the wand down and turned to the voice.

"Severus, it's so nice to see you took time out to come join us." Harry, hearing the first name of his potion's professor, turned to see if it was true, to see if he had come. Sure enough, there was Snape standing there, looking at Harry, then back at Voldermort.

"My lord, you told me I had until the end of the year until--"

"I got anxious!" Voldermort cut in.

"Do you think I was going to wait a full year to do away with something I have the perfect chance to away with right now?" Snape took a step inside the circle. It wasn't noticeable from far away, but Harry was close enough to notice that his professor was slightly shaking.

"I can't let you do that, my lord." Snape ordered through clenched teeth.

"What did you say to me?" Voldermort's hand dropped all the way down now and had turned towards the man.

"I won't allow it." Snape seemed more confident now, more like the professor Harry had grown to hate throughout his years at Hogwarts. Professor Snape stepped in front of Harry in one step and held his wand out, ready for anything thrown his way.

'no,' Harry thought

'don't do it, Snape, you're gonna get yourself hurt.' Snape looked back at Harry quickly as if he heard his thoughts. Voldermort nodded and held out his wand.

"You may shoot first, if you feel so obligated to stop me." He offered. Harry covered his head and pressed his nose into the ground. Although he hated his potion's professor with a passion, he wasn't about to see him get killed. Hermione starred wide eyed at the sight. She had never seen Snape act this stupid in her life. She could just imagine how many points were going to be taken off of Gryffindor if Snape did live through this.

Soon, spells and hexes were thrown through the air like there was no tomorrow, to a passerby it probably would have looked like someone was celebrating the 4th of July three months late. Hermione had squeezed her eyes shut so tightly, all the blood felt like it had been cut off, Harry was now curled into a little ball on the ground, wishing Voldermort had just killed him instead. Suddenly, there was a big explosion and everything stood still for a second or two before the black figures started fading away. Harry peeked out from under an arm, Hermione slightly opened one eye, and they saw that their professor was still standing there, stunned, but standing there. Voldermort had disappeared. Harry slowly sat up and looked around. He saw Ron, hiding behind a tree, his face in awe and his arm outstretched, holding his wand. His whole body was shaking uncontrollably. After another few seconds, Harry stood up and walked in front of his professor, who was standing as stiff as a mannequin. 

"Professor Snape?" He asked, poking him in the arm. Ron, still shaking, walked over, concentrating on where he placed his feet so he wouldn't trip and fall over his feet.

"Harry? Are you alright?" He asked. Even his voice was shaking.

"I think so, I think something's wrong with Snape, though." Harry walked over to Ron, confused.

"That's Professor Snape to you Potter, don't you forget it." A voice whispered through the air. Harry and Ron ran over toward Snape and saw that he was starting to 'melt.' As soon as he was able to move again, they went over to Hermione. She had passed out, and looked very uncomfortable. Snape raised his wand and mumbled some words, Hermione slid down the tree and fell, lifelessly on the ground. Harry walked over to beside the tree and picked up two wands.

"Hermione?" Snape asked, gently slapping her cheeks. She started moving her head side to side, then slowly opened her eyes. Snape starred into his eyes and felt his blood drain from his face. The eyes, they looked so familiar…he'd looked into them so many times, but not up so close.

"Oh my.." His voice trailed off and he stood up and quickly walked away from the scene. Harry and Ron rushed to take Snape's place. 


	14. 14

Albus Dumbledore walked into the dungeon, wanting to talk with Snape. He spotted him, head in his hands, sitting behind his desk.

"Severus." His voice was gentle and filled with concern.

"Albus." Severus looked up. Albus looked out of place in the potion's master's quarters.

"I heard what happened." Albus took a step inside the office. He shivered, for it was a bit chillier than he was used to. Severus leaned back into his chair, before standing up.

"Are they o.k.?" Severus seemed embarrassed to ask. Albus nodded.

"They're all out of the hospital wing and doing fine. They are a little bit confused on why you took off so fast."

"I would have stayed, Albus." He paused, Albus looked into his eyes and nodded to urge him on.

"But those eyes. I couldn't stay knowing that I was looking into the eyes of--" They were interrupted by a scream echoing through the hallway outside Snape's classroom.

"What was that?" Severus asked, changing the subject. Albus didn't hang around, he quickly exited and it took a few seconds for Snape's feet to get moving. Once he joined Albus in the hall, he noticed a heap in the middle of the hallway.

"What the--Good Merlin!" Severus exclaimed. He hurried over to the lump and turned it over. Albus stepped up behind him and they both gasped in horror. They were looking at a very un-conscious Harry Potter lying at their feet. As Severus looked up, he spotted someone running around the corner.

"Hey!" He screamed and got up to run after, Albus stayed behind with Harry and touched him, apparating both of them to the hospital wing. Severus listened for sound and ran, trying to see who that was. When he caught up with the kid, he knew it was a kid by how small it was compared to him, he grabbed a shoulder and turned him around with a jolt.

"Draco?" Snape gaped. Draco put his head down. 

"What happened?" Snape ordered. Draco looked away.

"Boy, answer me!" Snape grabbed both of his shoulders and gave him a gentle, but firm shake.

"Speak, what happened?" Draco looked like he was about to cry when he shook Snape's hands off of him and rolled up his sleeve. He hesitated before turning it over and showing it to his potion's master. 

"It was-It was me." He stuttered before pulling his sleeve down in a short quick motion then looking away from Snape's glare.

"Why?" Snape calmly said, there was no point in frightening the boy more than he already was.

"I-I don't know. He gave me something."

"Voldermort?" Draco nodded, sharply.

"What? What did he give you?" It was a few seconds before Draco spoke again.

"It was a vile of something, I was to…I was to throw it at the ground at Harry's feet…if…if…" Draco stopped talking.

"If what, Draco? Don't start a sentence and expect not to finish it." Snape twisted his head to look into Draco's eyes.

"If Voldermort disappeared." He said as he breathed out. Snape backed away a few steps backwards.

"When did you get the mark?" Snape said after massaging his temples.

"A f-few months ago." Draco's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Why didn't you tell me about it?" Draco shrugged.

"I was scarred, I guess." 

"Hmmm." Snape stood up and sighed.

"Well, come on." Draco looked down once more before standing up.

"Where are we going?" Draco asked, almost at a run to keep up with Snape.

"Do you know what happened?"

"No, not exactly." Snape looked back at Draco.

"We're going to find out what happened." 

****************************************

Ron and Hermione sat in the Gryffindor common room, talking about the day.

"Well, at least I know why Snape didn't follow me." 

"What do you mean?"

"Remember when Snape said he needed to talk with me?" Ron nodded.

"He started telling me something, but I wasn't paying that much attention, truthfully, I don't remember what he was talking about." Hermione looked around the room.

"The only thing going through my mind was to keep from showing that my mark hurt. When I couldn't handle it any longer, I turned around and took off running. When he didn't follow me, I though he went back to have another drink with the rest of the faculty, but I guess he went to get his Death Eater wardrobe." Ron nodded. They sat in silence for a little bit, until Hermione looked at Ron.

"What? You have that questioning look in your eyes again."

"What happened to Voldermort?" 

"When Snape left, he told me to stay behind to watch incase something went wrong. When I saw all the flashes I guess I kind of panicked and hid behind one of the trees."

"Well, don't just stop there, what happened?"

"I held my wand out and said the first curse that came to my mind."

"Ron! Quit ending your sentences too soon! What did you say?"

"Avada Kedavra" He whispered, looking at the ground afraid that if he looked at anyone, they'd disappear. 

"RON!" Hermione screamed.

"What? Don't yell my name like that!"

"Do you know what this means?"

"What?"

"You killed Voldermort!" Ron blushed. He had never thought of it like that. They were startled by hearing a throat being cleared. Hermione turned around and saw two people step out of the shadows by the portrait hole. Ron and Hermione stood up when they saw Snape and Draco.

"How long were you standing there?" Ron asked.

"Long enough Mr. Weasley." Snape said. He tried looking at Hermione, but couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes, he looked at her feet instead.

"Well, it looks like we'll have a new hero. Potter won't be alone once the news gets out." Snape looked back at Ron. Ron couldn't help holding back his smile. Quickly, he sat down, trying to stop his smiling. 

"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked.

"You haven't heard?" Draco smirked, stepping forward. Snape put a hand on his shoulder to keep him from making a fool of his self.

"Heard what? Snape, what's wrong?" Hermione walked up to Draco.

"What's wrong, Draco?" When Draco didn't answer, Snape stepped forward, pushing Draco behind him.

"Hermione, Harry's hurt." There was a gasp from the two boy's in the room, hearing Snape say Hermione's name, out loud. They watched as Hermione stumbled backwards, Ron put a hand on her back, and before they knew it, they were rushing past Snape and Draco, to the hospital wing.

"I knew it!" Hermione said as they walked.

"Knew what?" Ron asked.

"Draco's one of them too, I knew something was going to happen."

"Draco has the mark?"

"Sure, he acted scared, but it was just a cover up. I knew it. I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!" Hermione kept rambling on as they walked, soon they busted through the hospital doors, never minding Ms. Pomfrey's outrage and found Harry. He lied there, motionless on the bed, a few new scrapes over the ones he received the day before. Snape and Draco came in right after them, followed by a mad medi-witch. They all stopped when they saw Harry and stood there in silence. 

*******************************

Later in the night Albus had dropped by, excusing Hermione and Snape from the room. Hermione left hesitantly and followed the headmaster and Snape to Dumbledore's office.

When they got to the cozy room, Hermione noticed her mother and father sitting in the chairs by the window.

"Mum? Dad?" Hermione walked over to them and gave them a hug. Her mother had tear's in her eyes.

"Mum? What's wrong?" Albus walked behind his desk and put a lemon drop in his mouth.

"Hermione, there's something we need to talk about." Her father said as they all sat down. Hermione was confused. She looked at everyone in the room and wondered why Dumbledore had asked Snape to come along.

"Wha-What's going on?" Hermione looked back at her father.

"There's something that we haven't been totally honest with you about." Her father had said.

"What's that?" 

"Hermione, we love you, you know that….we will always love you…" Her mother was trying not to break out into sobs.

"What are you trying to tell me?" Her father took in a breath.

"You're…adopted Hermione." Finally the truth was out. Hermione sat there with her mouth open.

"No, I can't be." Hermione slowly shook her head, scrunching her eyebrows together. She looked at Snape and he was staring at the floor, his breathing was rapid as his chest was moving up and down faster than she'd ever seen it go. She started to feel sick.

"I can't be adopted." She looked at Dumbledore and he nodded, sympathetically. 

"We found you on our bed one night when we came home from dinner. We were sitting downstairs and we heard baby cries, just to run upstairs to find you."

"No, it's not true!" Hermione started crying again. She looked over at Snape and saw him looking back at her.

"What are you looking at?" She said, going to stand up. She ran to the door but was stopped by Snape. She fell into his chest and he put his arms around her.

"Shhhhh." He said as she cried. He started walking and guiding her back to her chair. She let go of his arm and sat down, Dumbledore passed a Kleenex over to her, she took it and blew her nose. The eerie quietness of the room was broken when Snape started talking.

"Fifteen years ago, my sister had a baby." He looked at Hermione, she was in a almost shock-like state, sitting in the chair, slightly shaking and staring at the Kleenex she was tearing in her hands.

"She had dropped it off at our parents house when I was taking a vacation there one summer." She started looking slowly at Snape. 'No,' she mouthed, Snape kept talking.

"My mother and father left yo- the baby in my care one night when they decided to leave, unexpectedly. I never knew the name of the baby, but one thing I could never forget that night were the baby's eyes. They were brown, just like yours." Snape paused for a second, Albus nodded him on, Hermione's mother quietly cried, starring at her daughter.

"When I returned to Hogwarts a few weeks later, I received an owl. The letter it carried told me about my family's death…" He reached into his robe pocket and drew out a small piece of parchment, crumpled from the many times it had been opened and read. He held it out for Hermione to take, she took it, waiting for him to start speaking again before she opened it with shaky hands.

"Most of the words were hard to read. But the words I could read, I figured that the baby, who's name I didn't know, had been adopted." Hermione sat back in the chair, the letter on her lap and she looked up at the ceiling, then at Snape. He could tell she got where he was going with this. Her sobs had quieted, but her shakes were still going strong.

"I did some research and saw that the disappearance of my family lead to your mother and father." Snape looked at the couple by the window, they looked about as heart broken as Hermione did. He hated to say it, but he forced himself to.

"Hermione, yesterday when I rushed off it's because I saw your eyes, the same eyes I had looked at fifteen years ago."

"How do you know? There are a lot of brown eyes in the world that look the same." Hermione shot out, looking at Snape.

"Hermione-" Her father spoke and Hermione looked at him.

"We found this on the bed with you that night." He leaned forward and handed Hermione a piece of paper.

"My birth certificate." Hermione whispered. As she looked at it, she read the two names that stuck out the most. Sadria Snape and Garren Gardner. So it was true. She was indeed Snape's niece. How could her parents not have told her before? She stood up and handed the birth certificate back to her father before running out of the office before Snape had a chance to stop her this time. The room fell quiet once again and Albus stood up.

"Well, that went well." He said in almost a sing-song voice. 

"Sometimes you surprise me Albus." Snape said before standing up. He looked at Hermione's parents and nodded. They stared back at him.

"Well, now she knows, are you happy? See what happened? You just couldn't leave it alone, could you? Could you, you son of a Bit-" Albus held a hand up.

"Mr. Granger, please, be seated." He sat down. Snape looked at him. 

"She'd find out sooner or later. Do you think you could have hid this all this time? Hermione is a very smart girl, believe me, you can't hide anything, ANYTHING, from her." He sneered before he turned and left the room. Once the door closed, Albus held up a dish filled with lemon drops.

"Lemon drop?" He asked, unsure of what to say.

*Hey guys! I hope you liked this chapter. It's the longest one yet! Guess what! My roomies and I went up to Crested Butte, the big skiing area near Gunny, and it was snowing! That's Colorado for ya! This isn't the last chapter, but I would like to thank all of you who reviewed and gave me ideas. They helped a lot. Keep it up!*


	15. 15

Ron waited outside Dumbledore's door. He had his ear pressed up to it, trying to hear what was going on, but couldn't hear anything He was startled when Hermione slammed the door open and flew passed him. He was even more surprised when Snape followed a few seconds later and didn't even notice Ron standing there, dumbfounded. He quickly snapped out of it and quietly followed them. He followed them through two different hallways, up and down stairs, getting caught on a stairway that changed, which threw him off course for a little bit. He soon found Snape running to the closed portrait that led the way into the Gryffindor common room and dorm rooms.   
"Hermione!" Snape screamed at the portrait. The lady on the portrait was red in the face. 

"Why Severus Snape, why don't you leave the child alone for once, you make enough kids cry as it is and you certainly don't need to press the child on any longer." Snape was shocked as he looked into her angry eyes. 

"Open up, winch." He gritted his teeth as her mouth dropped open.

"Not when you speak in a tone like that to me, young sir, I suggest you go back to manners school. Never speak to a lady like that." Ron walked up behind the two and kindly cleared his throat. 

"Weasley, open the picture." 

"Why was Hermione crying?" Ron tried not to show any sign of nervousness in his voice, or posture.

"That can wait, right now you need to open up this painting if you know what's good for you."

"You'll go away if you know what's good with you." The lady in the painting was now standing up, getting ready to leave.

"No, no, don't go, wait!" Snape begged. Ron held back a laugh, he'd never seen anyone give professor Snape as much trouble as the lady has.

"Nacatia Duflorie." Ron finally said. Snape bent his knees and quietly whispered a 'yes,' before jumping through the now open portrait hole and rushing over to the figure in the chair by the fire place. Ron took one last look at the lady in the portrait.

"You didn't have to do that." She said. Ron nodded his head.

"I know, I know, it's just that we've lost so many points already, I figured that we best not make him take any more off." Ron didn't let the lady answer before stepping through the portrait hole and slowly walked up to where Professor Snape was hovering over Hermione.

"Please understand, Hermione." He said, she didn't look up. Ron continued to walk over to where they were, deciding whether or not to say something. 

"Is….Is there something I can do." Ron finally said. Snape stood up and turned to him.

"I don't think there is anything that can be done right now." Snape looked back at Hermione.

"What happened? Hermione ran out of Dumbledore's office so fast--"

"Maybe she better explain that to you. I'm going to be in the dungeon now, if you need me for any reason." Ron watched Snape glide back over to the portrait before he turned around again.

"How's Potter?" Snape's voice sounded softer and different.

"He's-He's good." Ron didn't know how to answer that question, Snape had never taken any of their well-being into consideration before. Snape nodded before taking one last look at Hermione and leaving the room. The portrait swung closed and Ron walked over to Hermione.

"Hermione, please tell me what's wrong. Snape's gone, please tell me." Ron knelt down in front of the chair and put a hand on Hermione's arm.

"Hermione?" Slowly she brought her head up. Her eyes were red from crying, soon she sat up. Ron brought her into a tight hug, she kind of laughed.

"You know, it's funny." She said, coming out of the hug and bringing a Kleenex out of her pocket to blow her nose.

"What's funny?"

"How we think we know our family, just to find out that for fifteen years, they could have betrayed us, or lied to us in one way or another." 

"What do you mean, Hermione?" 

"They think they can fool us because they think we're stupid kids that don't know anything…that, that we're still 'wet behind the ears' and can't understand the truth." Hermione looked at Ron.

"You lost me."

"Do you know what they told me back there?" Ron shook his head.

"Will you tell me?"

"They told me that the mother and father I had grown up to believe were mine, that I thought were my real parents actually weren't my real parents."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm adopted Ron! Adopted! And for fifteen years, my parents didn't want to tell me."

"They would have occasionally."

"No, Ron, they wouldn't have."

"How do you know?"

"Ron, think about it! We had to have a conference in which my 'mother' started crying."

"What mother wouldn't?" There was a slight pause. Hermione took a deep breath.

"Why do you think Snape was there?"

"To turn them into slugs if something went wrong? How am I supposed to know?"

"You aren't using your brain, are you Ron?" Ron laughed.

"I'm serious, Ron." Ron quickly lost the smile when he noticed she wasn't kidding.

"Snape was there because…I don't know." Hermione shrunk back into the sofa, curling up into a little ball before speaking again. Ron noted that she was slightly crying.

"Ron, I don't know how I'm supposed to tell you this. Anyone this for that matter."

"Say it real fast, it's not as hard that way." Hermione snuggled even further into the chair.

"Ron, Snape is my uncle."

*****************************************

Harry groaned. He was in pain and didn't want to move very fast, heck, he didn't want to move at all. Someone must have heard him, though because something wet was being pressed against his lips. He drank it, noticing his pain was slipping away with every sip he took. When his vision became regular, probably after the person who gave him his drink, put his glasses on as well, he noticed that the room was full of flowers and candy. Sitting at the foot of his bed was Hermione, Ron and Dumbledore. They were talking and didn't notice he was looking at them. He saw Madame Pomfrey walking out the door and he figured that she was the one that gave him the stuff. After a few seconds, they noticed someone watching them.

"Harry! So nice to see you finally up and about." Dumbledore said, walking around the side of the bed and giving him a smile. Ron walked around the other side, followed by Hermione.

"Hey guy's." Harry spoke slowly. It had been a while since he spoke last and the words felt foreign in his mouth.

"How are you feeling?" Hermione felt his arm, he smiled.

"I've felt better….how long was I out for?"

"Almost a week and a half." Ron decided to say. Harry tried to sit up, but found he was still too weak to support himself, so he settled for lying there, looking up at his headmaster and friends. Snape came walking into the room at that moment and walked over to the bed.

"Ah, he's up." He said, nodding his head at everyone in there in a polite hello. Madame Pomfrey walked into the room to fluff Harry's pillow's at that moment and Harry looked at her.

"How much longer am I going to have to stay here?" He asked, ready to go that day if she'd let him. 

"Oh, dear, that all depends. That potion I gave you is a self-help remedy I decided you were ready for. As long as you want to get better, I'm sure it wouldn't be more than a few hours you'll start to feel you can walk on your own." She turned around and left. Harry smiled as he looked at Ron and Hermione, who was curiously eyeing Snape. He looked over at Dumbledore and Snape and noticed that Snape was looking at Hermione also. At that moment, Harry noticed he was missing something. Something had happened while he was passed out, and it looked kind of fishy from his perspective.


	16. 16

After Snape pulled Hermione out into the hall, Harry looked at Ron and surprisingly pulled himself to sit upright.

"Ron, what happened?" Ron looked at Harry. He forgot that Harry didn't have any idea as to what happened, and wasn't quite sure how to tell him. 

"Harry, what would you do if Snape suddenly became Hermione's uncle?" Harry flinched.

"What? You aren't making much sense, Ron." Ron summoned up a chair and sat down.

"I'm serious, what if Snape had a niece and it happened to be 'Mione?"

"Are you saying--no, that's silly, Ron. Tell me what happened?" Ron didn't say anything, he put his head down and played with a bump on his jeans on his knee.

"Ron, it can't be! Hermione--Snape, no. That's silly, they can't be, can it?" Ron looked up and nodded.

"I'm afraid so."

"I did miss a lot, didn't I?" Ron nodded again. Harry kept shaking his head, it couldn't be true, could it? Hermione was too nice to be related to Professor Snape. Ron seemed persistent, though, to persistent actually.

"Do you think you can walk?" Ron asked. Harry shrugged and moved the blankets off of his legs. He slid both legs over the side of the bed and took Ron's outstretched hand to help him up. He wobbled for a second, but he steadied himself. He put one foot out and had to hold onto Ron for support. After a few steps, Harry let go of Ron's shoulder and could walk fine, wobbling every now and then, but he was walking. At that moment Madam Pomfrey walked in and applauded. 

"Well, Harry Potter. It's nice to see you up and walking again. I wonder how it worked so fast, though." Madame Pomfrey shrugged. Different potions, different people, was what she always said. She walked over to Harry and held a small metal diamond up to his arm, after a few seconds it beeped and she looked at it.

"Trying out this new thing. It's supposed to take all your vitals in one quick and easy step." She nodded, proud with the response.

"Well, according to that you're fine to go. How do you feel?"

"I feel fine." Harry said. He just wanted to get out of the hospital, it was one thing he visited too many times.

"Well then, Ron, would you mind helping Harry back to the dorms?"

"No, Madam Pomfrey." After Harry's belongings had been picked up, Ron walked with Harry back to the dorms, explaining everything he could remember that went on to Harry.

**************************************

"Hermione, you can't dodge me for the rest of your schooling years at Hogwarts." Snape had said once they got out of the hospital wing. Hermione was silent.

"You can't decide not to talk around me either." Snape stopped and turned towards Hermione, she looked at the painting on the wall. Snape caught her glare and turned around. He saw the people in the picture were sitting around a table having tea, watching the two and smiling. Snape mumbled 'buzz off' and started walking again. The people in the painting shrugged and went back to sipping their tea and talking.

"I know you hate it as much as I; hearing we're related and such, but that gives you no right to act any different." Hermione looked at him, for once Snape saw pain in her eyes.

"I hate them so much." Hermione said under her breath.

"What? That's ridiculous, who do you hate?" Snape let out a small chuckle.

"Why didn't they tell me before? All this time, they had to tell me and they didn't even--"

"You can't hate them forever." Snape turned into his office, Hermione stood outside of it.

"Well, come in." Hermione put her head down and slumped into the dark office. The door closed softly behind her, which was something that never happened before. She sat down on one of the chairs in the corner.

"Listen, I know this is going to be awkward for the both of us for a while, I know that as soon as the news gets out, people will act differently around us too, but that gives you no right to avoid this subject." Hermione looked at the walls of books Snape had in his office. She got up and walked up to one, pulled it off the shelf and started reading it.

"Hermione, please put the book down. We need to talk." Snape walked over to Hermione and plucked the book out of her hands, she grabbed another book off the shelf and opened it. Snape took that book as well and stopped her when she reached for another.

"What is there to talk about?" Snape pulled Hermione over to a chair and he sat down in front of her.

"You remind me of my sister." He started.

"What do you mean?"

"My sister and I never got along."

"That's a surprise." Hermione rolled her eyes, Snape shot her a warning look.

"You are so difficult!" He grunted.

"I know." Hermione sighed and eyed the books again. Snape cleared his throat making Hermione jump and turn back to Snape.

"They never told me anything about having a baby until that day I went to my parents house during Summer vacation. My parents just walked out, they just left you in my care, knowing how much I hated kids." Hermione sighed.

"Snape, I don't want a lecture. I get that from you every day." 

"Will you just sit and listen to me? Honestly child, you make it seem more complicated than it is."

"I-I know what happened." Hermione put her head down.

"What do you mean?" 

"A few nights ago, after I was told, well that night I had somewhat of a vision and I saw it all."

"You saw everything?" Hermione nodded.

"The last thing I remember seeing is lying there in a crib and you were looking into my eyes, then it kind of blacks out, I guess I went to sleep then or something." Snape smiled, remembering the moment.

"You did."

"What?"

"You fell asleep at that moment." There was a moment of silence.

"I'm sorry this had to happen to you, the mark and everything."

"Did you just say I'm sorry?" Hermione turned her head on it's side and raised an eyebrow. Snape sighed.

"Listen, I'm not that good at this making-up stuff, so go easy on me."

"That's the most sensible thing you've said all day." Hermione mumbled. 

"If I wasn't trying to make amends with you, Hermione, you'd have detention for a week." Snape joked. He let out a laugh and Hermione smiled.

"I guess I kinda have to treat you like an Uncle, but only under a few conditions." Hermione finally gave in. Snape relaxed a little bit.

"And what might those be?"

"First, stop calling me Hermione, it just isn't right. Secondly, please don't treat me any differently than the other students." Snape nodded.

"That sounds fair enough." Hermione looked at her watch.

"Oh goodness, we're late for class." Hermione stood up and walked out of the door. Snape shook his head and walked into the classroom, spotting Hermione just coming in the door. She was surprised to see Harry back so soon as she took a seat in-between Ron and Harry. 

"Hey Harry." She whispered, Harry just smiled. She looked up and saw Professor Snape and gave a little smile.

"Ms. Granger," His voice seemed stern. 'Now that's more like it.' Hermione thought.

"Yes, Professor?"

"Detention, tonight, 7:30." Hermione got a confused look on her face. 

"Why professor?"

"You were late." 

THE END

*Wow. Hasn't this been a great adventure? How exciting! But don't worry. I'm still writing stories. Check my newest one out. It's called Has Snape Gone Mad? It's really funny. I would really like to thank the reviewers that kept coming back to read and check up on my story. THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH! Then I would like to thank everyone else. You're reviews meant a lot to me. I know…I know…I suck at endings, I guess I don't like ending good things. Lol. Well, I hope everyone has a great whatever they're doing. THANKS AGAIN!


End file.
